Madison times. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1884-1???, 1887-04-30
Costly Ancient Blades.

Alonrside the mJueII '1se-guPrO
sword. forty inches long, and the
llrhter infantry sword, thirty-three
inches in length, Messrs. Wilkinson dis
play many antique weapons, says the
| Pail Mall Gazette. There are genuine
specimens OF the famous Andrea Fer.
rara, which were so priced in Scotland
in the old fighting days, and which are
now used to some extent by officers
in the British army. The quality OF
these swords show how little effect
time has upon good metal and sound
workmanship. Claymores hang onthe
walls beside the formidable Locha-
Der AK. y huge Swiss tNo-han0ed
sword. which it must have taken
giant to WELD. did service IN
the fourteenth century against the
AustrianS Even one OF the famous
Damascus blades i in the catalogue.
When Timur Lung conqured Syria III
the beginning OF the fifteenth century
he carried oil all the manufacturers
of steel into Persia, and their success
sors, having been dispersed all over
the east, are said to have lost the Sc
cret OF making blades OF more than
ordinary quality, since which time the
manufacture of genuine Damascus
blades has declined, although tserr
are many limitations. With respect
20 the genuine blades it must be re-
membered that n good deal OF eXag-
geration has been INDUCED in. At the
time when the natives OF the east were
well acquainted with the art OF work
ing in iron and steel We, and indeed all
Europe, were i'll state OF perfect IL
norance. When the old Damascus
blades were therefore opposed
to those OF Othe- countries
they were found to be infinitely
superior in temper and quality, and
the extraordinary prices that were OF.
tered and paid for them (Oiten rs
much as $500 sufficiently attest the
estimation IN which they were held.
In the present day swords of equal or
superior quality are manufactured at
ore-hundredth part OF the cost. in
some respects the best even OF our
present li.ht regulation blades are at
a disadvantage when opposed to the
heavy curved eastern cimeter, but
they have the advantage that they
can be used for thruSting, which, al
though unknown III eastern swords
manshIp, is by lar the most deadly
form of attack. A European cuts on
Iy or mainly from the wrist, knowing
that If he lifts the arm too far from
its position Of guard he exposes him.
COLI t,N.a . 10 IL
be fatal. On the other hand, an east
ern swordsman, who seldom
guards himself with his sword, but
Is provided with shield and Caunt-
let's to resist cut, has his
sword ground as sharp as n razor and
cuts from the shoulder only, bringing
into action all the strong muscles of
the forearm and back, the small hilJ
OF his sword allowing no play what
ever to the wrist. A to the jOwher
or water of the genuine Damascus
blade this is attributable to the ma
ture OF the iron ore used and the
method of converting it into steel.
The late Mr.. Henry Wilkinson went
thoroughly INTO the question. and OBJ
tanned specimens of Indian wootz or
cake steel. and proved by making
blades from it that the figure so
sought after existed IN the steel itself,
and to be developed required only the
action OF light and a chemical called
kusees.
Among other curiosities worth not.
ing is fierce Mahratta weapon call
ed a wakdah, or tigerc claw, winch the
user holds i'm his hand atiiX pd nv two
rings to his fingers. With a traitor.
GUS embrace he clasps his victim and
tears him open. A knife penetrating
n dollar is a reminder of the old
Spanish buccaneers test of the sound
ness OF his blade, and proof OF the
quality of the steel OF the day.